


Outlook, negative

by withered



Series: Who's been lovin' you good? [11]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky gets adopted by Team Tony, Delusional Steve Rogers, I was very chill about this actually, M/M, Steve gets a surprise, also features unimpressed Wakandan royalty, boom - Freeform, like Shuri can't even, so its just Steve being super oblivious, so there's that, there's dramatic irony though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2019-05-14 22:21:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14778371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withered/pseuds/withered
Summary: When they were finally allowed to return after a yearlong wait, Steve is ready to forgive and forget.Impatient for it, if he was being honest.Then again, he didn't expect this to be the outcome.





	Outlook, negative

Steve expected Bucky and Tony to be hostile at most, to dislike each other at best.

Given what the worldwide media dubbed, the Superhero Civil War, neither men could be faulted. It was a difficult situation all around, and Steve was just grateful that T’Challa invited them to reside in Wakanda while Bucky recovered, and Tony sorted his mess out.

When they were finally allowed to return after a yearlong wait, Steve was ready to forgive and forget.

Impatient for it, if he was being honest.

He missed being home, missed the familiarity of the Compound, missed the freedom of movement.

For whatever reason, T’Challa was unwilling to let them roam free as they wished, and though the young king was a gracious host, his bodyguards, sister, and mother were less than enthused. The Avengers were relegated to a private villa within the perimeter of the palace, their needs were all taken care of, but for all Steve had seen of the country rich in Vibranium, T’Challa and his people seemed rather ham-fisted about treating them particularly well.

(They were denied tech to continue fighting the good fight, and not given any new garments or gadgets beyond what they had brought with.)

Clint said it best when he observed that it was probably why T’Challa and the Wakandans were having a tough time entering the global arena.

Natasha looked like she swallowed a lemon.

Regardless, the world needed them again, and Steve assured the team that Tony would live and let live – and, “He’ll be relegated to upgrades and funding like he was meant to.”

(He didn’t understand why Shuri looked both offended and disgusted, or why T’Challa grimaced.)

Their welcome back to the United States was less warm than he expected, likely due to the obvious tensions between all involved. But he made sure to put on a happy face, he was Captain America, after all.

After being herded off the quinjet, there was a press conference to sign the Accords. (Sam and Scott were surprised that the Accords had been more reasonable upon their reading of it, but Steve had assured them that it wasn’t the case the first time around.) And then finally driven home in a nondescript vehicle for “safety purposes”.

That Tony would be cold, aloof and caustic towards them was expected, but also disappointing.

Steve’s pleas of “we forgive you” fell on deaf ears. He always suspected Tony was a martyr.

It certainly didn't help that the Avengers’ absence left Tony with his usual enablers in the form of Rhodes and Pepper Potts along with Hope Pym and a gaggle of other enhanced people that were suddenly residing in the Compound now.

It was new and improved, as expected, and he thrilled along with the others what upgrades they could expect once they settled in. Tony never skimped on the tech or the money throwing, and regardless of his attitude, Tony would cave eventually, they were a team after all. 

(It would be a bit difficult, he admitted to himself, after he told Tony where his duties would lay now, but he was the leader and it was his call. Tony would get over it.) 

(But Tony's enablers wouldn't even let him get the words out. They were everywhere, like this was their home, like they were the "New Avengers". What ideas had Tony put in their head?)

“This isn’t home anymore,” Steve said, and Tony, ever the sarcastic, stubborn asshole he was replied, “That’s because you’re in the East Wing.”

Bucky was having a rough go of it, Steve knew, so he didn’t plant himself in the reception hall and demand to be heard despite Wanda, Clint and Sam’s looks of incredulity.

So, Tony would take more than a year to get his head out of his ass and be a team player. That’s fine, Steve could wait for that apology, but Bucky needed him.

It was no doubt, traumatizing to see Tony again.

He’d almost killed Bucky, after all.

When Steve had let his guard down around the third week since their return, of course, that’s when things started to go wrong:

Bucky wasn’t in his room when Steve went to pick him up for their morning run at five; and was surprised when he walked into the communal kitchen and found him sitting on the floor, back against the cupboard with Tony sitting beside him.

His best friend was still in his pajamas, hair in a tangled mess of a bun, and the arm Shuri had fabricated was swallowed whole by the sleeve of his ill-fitting sweater. Steve knew how self-conscious Bucky felt about it, and just being beside Tony had his best friend tugging at it nervously.

Tony, for his part, was sitting too close.

“….I forgive you, you know,” Tony was saying, and while a second ago Bucky looked almost relaxed, his shoulders immediately stiffened, and Steve’s fists clenched. Unbelievable!

“It was never his fault,” he jumped in. “It wasn’t him Tony, I thought you’d know that by now! He’s the victim here, you have no right!”

Before Tony could argue about it, and make Bucky feel worse, Bucky himself drew his metal arm to Tony’s other side – as if physically stopping him from lashing out. A good call, Steve approved, since they were both acquainted with Tony’s penchant for unprovoked violence.

At least, that’s what Steve had thought.

“That’s enough,” Bucky said, his voice low and eyes a sharp blue-grey. “Back off, Steve.”

He put it down to Bucky just being vulnerable after a nightmare, because why else would he be sitting on the kitchen floor in his pajamas if not for that? And of course, Tony, with his less than regular schedule, would happen to come across him then.

Perhaps, it had been planned that way?

“You’re being ridiculous,” Bucky said with a scowl, still displeased by the whole episode. “Stark did nothing wrong.”

“Then what was he doing?”

“Making me feel better,” he shot back.

“By blaming his parents' death on you?” Steve retorted. “Bucky it wasn’t -”

His jaw worked, and Steve sighed, squeezing his hand. Tony loved to cause trouble, he shouldn’t fuel the fire, not when Tony was refusing to be the better person. “I know it’s hard, but I’m here for you, Buck, always.”

Still, Bucky didn’t want to burden Steve despite the invitation.

In fact, seemingly every day, Bucky would go missing.

Hours later, he reappeared, unwilling to talk about where he’d gone. Steve was curious and worried, though even to himself, he admitted he had no right to be.

Bucky was smiling more and more every day, and though he never said much to Steve and the other Avengers, he seemed to be having a good thing going with the other inhabitants of the Compound.

Spider-man, for example, would consistently swing by to show Bucky “memes” and watch “vines”. Bucky had a rapport of sorts going with Rhodes and Carol that bordered on something uncomfortably like friendship with inside jokes and everything. On a few occasions, Bucky had a young girl, a “Miss Marvel” tail him to “show her some moves”, and Bucky would entertain her, even choosing to spar, on occasion, with Jessica Jones.

Bucky’s relationship with Tony, to Steve’s surprise, improved considerably too.

Sometimes he’d find them both in the living room of the West Wing, watching some movie – they wouldn’t be sitting as close as they had on the kitchen floor – but Steve wasn’t imagining their easy conversation, the lingering glances from either of them or the way their limbs stretched, by their own accord, to brush against each other.

Tony had even deigned to give Bucky nicknames, and Bucky had gone from “Stark” to “Tony” to even “Antoshka” when Tony got particularly bratty, and for whatever reason, that seemed to work in cooling his temper tantrums.

It wasn’t that Steve _wanted_ them to be fighting, but Tony – Tony was just doing this as some form of revenge – he had to be – and it wasn’t like Bucky wanted him –

Bucky wasn’t even gay.

It was concern that motivated Steve to seek Bucky out during one of his disappearances, and after several hours’ worth of chasing his own tail when Friday refused to comply, Steve finally figured out where Bucky had gone: the workshop.

Through the glass windows, Steve saw Bucky shirtless for the first time, and Tony at his side – talking him through something as holographs floated by.

With the evidence of seeing it for himself – “fraternizing with the enemy,” as Clint suggested – Steve was determined to talk Bucky out of _whatever_ was going on between him and Tony.

Tony was just taking advantage of Bucky’s innocence of the world, and his wonder and awe at the future he’d always had since before the War. Tony was probably trying to turn Bucky against them, there was no other explanation for Tony’s still frosty interactions with the rest of the team, or Bucky withdrawing from the rest of the original Avengers.

Steve would talk to his best friend and get him to see reason.

He waited hours for Bucky to reappear in the East Wing, but he didn’t.

Bucky’s room was also empty – and bare as it was since the day they arrived – Steve thought of giving Bucky one of his drawings, just to brighten up the space a bit. Steve was sure his best friend didn’t want to get too attached to the place, and that was probably why he didn’t have any personal effects in the room.

Perhaps that was why Bucky was cozying up to Tony and the “New Avengers”?

Natasha herself pointed out as a way to “secure” their return, getting “friendly” despite not feeling the welcome themselves, not that Steve found it necessary. But Bucky had been in enemy territory for ages, perhaps he thought it prudent? Or maybe, someone had heavily _suggested_ it to him?

Steve’s nostrils flared.

How dare Tony take advantage like that?

He was halfway across the Compound by the time he realized how late it was. All the lights for the rooms were out, and Bucky had probably returned to the East Wing.

No matter, Steve could talk some sense into him later, Tony, however. It was probably best if they spoke in private.

Friday, wisely let him in.

While Steve had doubts about the AI and morality, he comforted himself that she must be better than Ultron to know who was right in this situation, an admission of guilt in knowing and now the willingness to make amends. She could teach her creator a thing or two.

The doors to the workshop opened in a soft sigh, and though Steve had practically raced there like a bat out of hell, he hesitated.

The workshop was dimly lit with only the bright lights of the displays at full, illuminating the various Iron Legion models, and Tony’s personal Iron Man suits, along with Howard’s old car from the World Expo from so many years ago.

The workbenches were littered with random objects, but the place was fairly quiet, save the couch that Tony usually took naps in.

Except the noises coming from there definitely weren’t ones from sleep.

Like a car crash he couldn’t avoid getting into, Steve stepped forward, and found Bucky on top of Tony.

His belt was off, his jeans half-way off his ass with his boxers on display as Tony’s hand squeezed the flesh beneath while the other tried to work at getting the jeans off.

His exhale came out in a laugh as he teased, “James, come on, stop being a tease and help me here!”

Bucky, face pressed against Tony’s neck, complied with a little wiggle to get the offending garment off before dropping down to grind his hips against his.

Tony’s groan rumbled, his mouth popping open in a sudden gasp, “Yes, god, like that!”

Bucky chuckled, his voice low and dirty as he murmured in his ear, “I can’t wait to fill you, doll, do ya think you can take me like you did earlier? ‘Cause you were so damn good for me, baby, I couldn’t leave without another go around. I even waited until you were done with that project, dontcha think I deserve a reward?”

“God, you’re filthy,” Tony exhaled, “and yes, whatever you want, Jesus, just -”

He fled for the second time that day.

Steve thought he'd gotten the final say that day in the Siberian bunker, finally managed to shut the loud-mouthed billionaire-genius-playboy-philanthropist up; thought he'd finally put it through his head that, I _know guys with none of that but worth ten of you_ and this is what we do for them, this is what it looks like _to go to the end of the line_. Of course, Tony would never let that happen, he thought bitterly.

He really did prefer them fighting.

**Author's Note:**

> [Click here if you want to find out more about my work](https://everything-withered.tumblr.com/)


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